The present invention relates to apparatus for removing and lifting the milking cluster of an automatic milking system, upon depletion of the flow of milk from the cow.
It has been known to provide apparatus for removing the cluster from the cow's udder and to lift the same so that it does not scrape along the floor of the barn. Such apparatus has consisted of a substantially vertically suspended cylinder having a movable piston, the milking cluster being connected to the piston by means of a lifting cord. The cylinder space at one side of the piston is connected through a vacuum pipe of the vacuum line used to effect milking of the cow by means of a vacuum valve which may be actuated by an electronic control device, contained in a closed and separate portion of the cylinder. Upon completion of milking, the piston is then activated to pull the cord and lift the cluster. Because distance between the udder of the cow and the position of the apparatus, with the usual position of the cows in a cow-shed in which the milk line and the vacuum line are secured to the vertical posts carrying the shed roof, the length of the lifting cord is rather large. Therefore, in order to have the milking cluster suspended free from the ground after it has been lifted by the piston, the cylinder must also have a great length to provide a piston stroke of sufficient length. Consequently, in the usually low cow-shed (height 2 meters at the position of the vertical posts) the lower end of the cylinder is positioned close to the ground. Similarly, the cord is suspended in the operative position close to the ground, which gives rise to the danger that the milking cluster touches the ground when it is automatically removed and becomes contaminated.
The present invention aims at removing this danger.